Chapter 194: Can no longer hide the secret

Rachel's POV

One would have thought someone who has endured so much, like Mother, would, after her chance rescue, be cooped up in her bed, sulking and depressed. Instead, she was resilient, throwing her weight overzealously everywhere, so soon that her presence had the maids and guards shaking.

“She’s back.” I heard them cry behind her back. While they trembled at the sight of her and even at the noise of her footsteps.

The maids and chef were trembling again now as I entered the kitchen this morning, just a day after Cole's fake seizure. The seizure was fake—it happened at the convenient time, just like when he’d pretended to fall at the dining table months ago. But was he truly a spy? I didn't know. But I could swear to it that he was hiding something.

Except for the noise of the sizzling pans and kettles and the movements of feet as everyone went about their chores, the whole kitchen was as silent as a graveyard, if not worse.

Silence hung in the air like a curse, the maids shivering out of their wits, glancing incessantly at Mom, their lips twisted in a frown.

Mom walked about the kitchen, her eyes surveying every one's chores. She was keen on everyone's mistake. She pointed it out with a hard, penetrating stare or a slight knock on the head—if they were lucky. Her stare seems to freeze them colder.

A maid’s gaze drifted to me from her chores. Her eyes furrowed on me for a moment, following every careful throw of my legs into the kitchen.

Her lips pouted in a silent whisper. “Please, take her away.” She threw her eyes in Mom's direction.

I just gave her a stiff smile, barely stretching my lips. I wasn't the Biancardi first lady anymore. Mother had reclaimed her role, just like she’d reclaimed her role as Draco's wife. She’d taken everything back.

Mom spun back to me from the chores she was supervising, picking up on my presence via my footsteps. I shook my head grimly—I wasn't as quiet as I thought.

“My princess,” she said, that older but yet beautiful face that looked just like mine boomed entirely with a smile. She threw her large arms around me, squeezing me in them.

I snuggled into her arms, felt the soothing warmth of her, and felt her love in that embrace wrap around me. And, I also felt, the ache in my pain, squeezing it tight in my chest. It hurt harder—that ache that reminded me that I’d lost everything because of my own mother.

Tears stung my eyes, hot and stinging. I blinked them away. Her body quivered around me, like she’d sensed something. She grabbed my shoulders and pushed me back gently. She cupped my head with her hands, lifting my face up.

I shut my eyes tight to keep back the tears before opening my eyes back to her. Thick lines drew themselves along her forehead as her eyes furrowed on me.

“Why are you crying, Rachel? Did I do something to hurt you?” she asked.

I shook my head. “Nothing,” I said. How could I tell her that her mere presence was taking everything from me? I forced a smile at her. “Nothing, Mom,” I repeated.

She didn't look convinced. Her gaze was a bit watery as it lingered on my face.

“After breakfast I’ll come around and we’ll talk, Rachel. I think we need to,” she said, still cupping my face in her hands.

“I don't think we—”

She pressed her finger on my lips, shaking her head gently. “We need to, Rachel. We definitely need to,” she said, her tone final.

Loud footsteps echoed behind me. I turned—Logan. His hands moved as if to slap my ass playfully, as he’d always done. But this time—his hands froze mid-air at Mom’s hard stare at him.

“You will never touch my daughter that way, Logan.” She snapped at him. She snatched my wrist, pulling me away from his reach. “Keep your perverted hands to yourself.”

Logan returned his hands to his side. “But Mariah—”

“But what, Logan?” she snarled at him. Her fingers tightened around my wrist. She pushed me to her back as if to protect me from him. “You have tasted the mother. Now you want the daughter too.”

“That's not what's going on, Mariah—.” Logan said.

“Then what is it?” Mum challenged. Her nostrils flaring.

She wheeled her gaze around to see the maids watching. “Get out, all of you.” She yelled at them.

The sizzling pans and kettles calmed, as did the sounds of dishes being washed. Then the maids and chef scampered out of the room, like they were escaping a hurricane.

Logan shook his head, forcing a sad grin. He leaned on the kitchen’s tabletop. “I think it's time you heard the truth, Mariah. Draco has asked me to keep it from you. But I don't think that's going to work anymore.”

“Keep what from me, Logan?” She demanded, her voice like a whip.

No sooner had the maids ran out, Draco strode in. His gaze travelled over all our faces, hunting for clues to what was happening.

“What are you keeping from me, Draco?” Mom demanded.

Draco slipped Logan a hard, murderous stare, his fists trembling by his side as if he couldn't wait to punch Logan right in the face.

Logan just grinned at him. “We can't hide it for long, Draco. We are hurting Rachel more with the secret. Can't you see?”

Draco carried his eyes around to find me behind Mom's back, and his trembling fists calmed. His amber eyes, restless as they jumped from me to Mom.

“What is happening here, Draco? Fucking talk to me.” Mother snapped at him.

His chin trembled as they parted for worlds. He paced on a spot, scratching his head. “I am sorry, Mariah—” was the only thing he managed to say before they closed back. “I…” he began again, but stopped again.

“We are both in love—” Logan decided to help him out.

I figured I should be the one to do it. I had to take the stand to show Mom that I loved both of them. That I was aching and miserable because I can't be with them again because of her presence.

My heart thumped wildly against my chest as I snatched my wrist from her. My legs were heavy as lead, yet I dragged myself back to her front.

Her eyes snapped wide on me. “What happened, Rachel?”

I shut my eyes tight so I could get the words freely from my lips. Then I said. “I am in love with Draco and Logan, Mom, and they love me too,”

Her eyes snapped wider on me, a frown slowly seizing her face. Her eyes jumped to Logan and Draco, the frown slowly turning into hard, murderous stares. “Is this fucking true, Draco, Logan?”

“Yes, it is, Mariah.” Logan forced a grin. “It is just as she said: we love her, and she loves us.”

She grunted, her whole body trembling as she pinned her full gaze on Draco now, her eyes heating up more than ever.

“I can explain, Mariah.” Draco shouted.

But she charged forward, bumping her way through both of them. “Both of you, come with me. We need to fucking talk.”

Draco was already running after her.

“About time,” Logan grunted as he followed too.

I slumped on a cupboard. A sharp pain jarred tas through my back on slamming into the edge of the cupboard. Yet, it was far less than the pain in my heart. I grabbed my chest tight, as the ache in my heart squeezed harder.